Harvard Square's iconic "Pit" demolished for plaza renovation
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The seating area in Harvard Square is no more — the end of an era. Photo: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Pit, a sunken brick and stone seating area in Harvard Square beloved by generations of punks, metalheads, hardcore kids and uncategorizable crusty weirdos, has been demolished as part of the area's ongoing renovation project.
Why it matters: The Pit served as a counterculture hub for decades since its construction in 1982 to accompany the then-new Harvard station Red Line entrance.
- It was a gathering space for alternative youth culture and, at its best, provided a sense of community for punks, skateboarders and plenty of others who didn't fit in among the ivy-clad dorms and lecture halls.
The $8.3-million plaza renovation project will turn the area behind the headhouse into a modern, accessible public space, according to plans.
- A level plaza will replace the sunken brick design.
- Improved lighting will keep things bright and a new drainage system will prevent the puddles and ice that made the area extra swampy.
- The space will be integrated with the newly renovated Out of Town News kiosk that will serve as a visitor center and pop-up venue.
What they're saying: Cambridge City Councilor Marc McGovern, a self-described former "Pit rat" from the 1980s, recalls finding "protection and community" among the young people who treated the Pit as something of a communal watering hole.
- "Under normal circumstances they would all kill each other, but out of necessity they all come together to this watering hole and get along while they drink," McGovern told the Harvard Crimson in 2022.
If you wanted to say goodbye to the old haunt, you've missed your chance.
- Cambridge and the Harvard Square Business Association hosted a farewell "Pit-A-Palooza" in June 2022 when demolition was originally scheduled to begin.
- The Harvard Square Business Association salvaged hundreds of bricks from the plaza and is selling some for $25 each to benefit homeless youth.
The other side: The space had a darker history at times, with substance abuse, violence, and sexual assault incidents blotting the space's otherwise peaceful record.
- In 2001, Io Nachtwey, an unsheltered "Pit Kid" known as Rook, was murdered by gang members and thrown into the Charles River.
What's next: The project was delayed several times because of supply chain disruptions, ongoing MBTA shutdowns and repairs, construction challenges and integration with the kiosk project.
- Plans suggest it could be another two years before the plaza fully reopens.